Antagonistic Elements

Another incident of the kind is related by a writer, as follows: "On one
occasion, when some experiments were being made by a medium, under
control, in the direction of psychometry and clairvoyance, a lady
expressed a desire to be the subject for delineation. After one or two
efforts the medium exclaimed, 'I am very sorry, but for some reason I am
quite unable to get anything from you, or for you.' Shortly afterwards
the lady in question remarked to one of the sitters, 'I knew he would
not be able to give me anything. That is the third medium that I have
knocked out.' The failure to obtain results under such impossible
conditions is a proof of the genuine psychic nature of the powers of the
mediums. If they were pretenders they would succeed in doing something
under any circumstances and in spite of such adverse psychic
conditions." While we are far from holding that the sitters in a circle
should lay aside all ordinary caution and good judgment, and instead to
assume the mental attitude of utter and unquestioning credulity and
acceptance, we do positively declare that the mental state of
preconceived distrust and suspicion is often almost fatal to the
production and demonstration of the highest manifestations of spirit
phenomena.